Madame Butterfly Composer Giacomo Puccini Librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa Based On the works of John Luther Long and David Belasco Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 1998-1999 Language Italian Creative/Crew Conductor Emmanuel Villaume Production Ron Daniels Designer Michael Yeargan Lighting Designer Stephen Strawbridge Chorus Director Ian Robertson Musical Preparation Susanna Lemberskaya Adelle Eslinger Bryndon Hassman Peter Grunberg Ernest Fredric Knell Supertitles Jerry Sherk Francesca Zambello Assistant Stage Director(s) Brad Dalton Kristine McIntyre Stage Manager(s) Jerry Sherk Cast Trouble, Cio-Cio-San's child, now an adult Richard Paton Lt. B. F. Pinkerton Luis Lima James Cornelison(1/10,13,15,17) Goro Dennis Petersen Jon Kolber(1/10,13,15,17) Cook Colby Roberts Gardener Frederick Winthrop Suzuki Zheng Cao Wendy White(1/10,13,15,17) Sharpless David Okerlund Grant Youngblood(1/10,13,15,17) Cio-Cio-San, Madama Butterfly Sylvie Valayre Isabelle Kabatu(1/10,13,15,17) Imperial Commissioner David Kekuewa Jere Torkelsen(1/10,13,15,17) Official Registrar William Pickersgill Frederick Matthews(1/10,13,15,17) The Bonze Philip Skinner Prince Yamadori Alfredo Daza Armando Gama(1/10,13,15,17) Trouble, Cio-Cio-San's Child Valerie Zhao Brian Pang(1/10,13,15,17) Kate Pinkerton Karen Fergurson Show Dates Sat, Jan 9 1999, 8pm Sun, Jan 10 1999, 2pm Tue, Jan 12 1999, 8pm Wed, Jan 13 1999, 7:30pm Thu, Jan 14 1999, 7:30pm Fri, Jan 15 1999, 8pm Sat, Jan 16 1999, 8pm Sun, Jan 17 1999, 2pm Time and Place Early 20th century Nagasaki Scenes Act I -- A house and garden overlooking the Bay of Nagasaki INTERMISSION Act II -- The same, three years later Media Image Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Luis Lima (Pinkerton), Chorus, Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Butterfly, Pinkerton and all her relatives assemble for the wedding Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera Image Luis Lima (Pinkerton), Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Luis Lima as Pinkerton; Sylvie Valayre as Cio-Cio-San Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera Image David Okerlund (Sharpless), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. David Okerlund as Sharpless, the U.S. consul at Nagasaki Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera Image Zheng Cao (Suzuki), Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Valerie Zhao (Trouble), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Suzuki, Butterfly and the child await the arrival of Pinkerton Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera Sponsors The performance of January 9th is sponsored by Deloitte & Touche The performance of January 10th is sponsored by Peet's Coffee and Tea The performance of January 10th is designated in honor of Mrs. Stanley Pearson in recognition of her gift to the Opera The performance of January 12th is designated in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Angus A. MacNaughton's membership in the Triple Platinum Circle The performance of January 12th is designated in honor of Janet and Jeffery W. Meyer's membership in the Triple Platinum Circle The performance of January 12th is designated in honor of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and its membership in the Triple Diamond Circle The performance of January 12th is designated in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund W. Littlefield's membership in the Triple Diamond Circle The performance of January 14th is sponsored by Wells Fargo Acknowledgements This production is generously sponsored, in part, by Fred and Peggy Furth and Wells Fargo Notes Scenery constructed in San Francisco Opera Scenic Studios Costumes executed by San Francisco Opera Costume Shop SUPERNUMERARIES Servants, porters Bob Ericson Sherman Lee Don Lipp Paul Newman Michael Peredo Oliver Pollard Kuroko Group* Trey Alonso Amanda Dieck Kevin Gee Nancy Huie Lisa Lorea Kimperly Thompson Dan Wilson *Kabuki term for black-clad assistants
Image Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Luis Lima (Pinkerton), Chorus, Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Butterfly, Pinkerton and all her relatives assemble for the wedding Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera
Image Luis Lima (Pinkerton), Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Luis Lima as Pinkerton; Sylvie Valayre as Cio-Cio-San Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera
Image David Okerlund (Sharpless), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. David Okerlund as Sharpless, the U.S. consul at Nagasaki Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera
Image Zheng Cao (Suzuki), Sylvie Valayre (Cio-Cio-San), Valerie Zhao (Trouble), Madama Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini. San Francisco Opera, 1998-99. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Suzuki, Butterfly and the child await the arrival of Pinkerton Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera